Tesco now offering to pay for work experience staff and give them a job

By now, you'll be acutely aware of the row surrounding Tesco and their payless job offers. Of course, Tesco have put the whole thing down to an admin error, but people aren't having it.

And so, after a series of sit-in protests in Tesco stores, the UK's biggest supermarket has realised it can throw some money at the situation until these ranting campaigners bugger off for a bit. And Tesco are hoping that their announcement of offering all Jobseekers Allowance work experience candidates a paid four-week placement and a guaranteed job at the end of the scheme, will be enough to stop everyone shouting at them.

In a statement, candidates will have the choice of staying on their JSA benefits (around £50 a week for under-25s) or taking up the paid placement with a job at the end of it.

Richard Brasher, chief exectuive of Tesco UK, said: “We know it is difficult for young people to give up benefits for a short-term placement with no permanent job at the end of it. So this guarantee that a job will be available provided the placement is completed satisfactorily, should be a major confidence boost for young people wanting to enter work on a permanent basis.”

Tesco remain as one of the few big companies still taking part in this scheme with Sainsbury's notably pulling out and now, Superdrug also.

In a further statement, the company added: "Tesco has suggested to the Department of Work and Pensions that, to avoid any misunderstanding about the voluntary nature of the scheme, the risk of losing benefits that currently exists should be removed."

As long as someone doing the placement finishes "ahead" i.e. isn't paid less by Tesco (and any benefits they still receive) than they would've received by staying at home, this is no bad thing. The "Completed Satisfactorily" term sounds like a universal get-out clause, which makes the press release smell fishy. However, even a wishy washy promise of jobs being available at the end of the scheme is better than no promise at all.
If you were on JSA, were offered a 4 week placement that would earn you more than you're getting now, and knew that if they liked you and thought you were good they'd give you a permanent job, wouldn't you go for it?

“We know it is difficult for young people to give up benefits for a short-term placement with no permanent job at the end of it."
Yeah, that's the reason. Not that they stand to make more money scrounging and playing their PS3 all day.